


Arrangement

by boltshok



Series: Landguard + Icefall [in-universe chronological order] [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Frottage, M/M, Multiple Orgasms, Oral Sex, Spark Sexual Interfacing (Transformers), Sticky Sexual Interfacing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 09:27:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22967722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boltshok/pseuds/boltshok
Summary: Landguard and Icefall's bonding was arranged.
Relationships: Icefall/Landguard, OC/OC
Series: Landguard + Icefall [in-universe chronological order] [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1650709
Kudos: 3





	Arrangement

**Author's Note:**

> How I imagine his shirt: [link](https://www.lingeriediva.com/collections/mens-lingerie/products/mens-sheer-black-2-pc-set?variant=21358708523088) (warning! male "lingerie" ahead. honestly, it's a transparent shirt)

They arrived at the house of his arranged bonded fashionably late that evening for the gala. Having been of courting age for some time, the young master of the house had already been targeted by many other families but never accepted any of the suitors. Spurning the other families that already attempted a bonding arrangement made him less desirable, but his family’s powerful merchant business went back several decavorns. After a quiet affair Landguard’s house won the right to court the young master, and all necessary arrangements were made. In preparation for the joining ceremony tomorrow, the bond needed to be finalized tonight, and that meant wooing the mech. Successful romance. The act of the bond.

Landguard’s armor was highly polished for the event, and the light of the hall cast flat, glowing squares on his dark, charcoal-black matte paint. The edges of his armor were highlighted with thin strips of glossy paint, making his frame glitter. The party was in full swing, yet Landguard hesitated on the fringes with his carrier. Friends and physicality were never his strong suit.

“Who is he?” Landguard whispers, shifting on his feet and looking out over the crowd. 

His fingertips hover over his forearm but he hesitates to itch the paint marking him as the suitor for the young lord of the house. His carrier gestures discreetly a bubbly mech in the middle of the ballroom wearing a sheer, silvery organic shirt and an elegant, draping black coat instead of customary armor. Without the armor, it’s possible to see that his frame is covered head to toe in biolights, all pulsing merrily in the light of the ballroom. In the center of his chest, visible under the shirt, he bears a bright, crystalline spark chamber, his ice-white spark dancing behind it. All of the biolights lead out from the crystal in bright paths of light, tendrils of sparklight trailing out from the source. While Landguard’s watching, the mech is served a cube of engex.

“Go,” his carrier whispers. “Greet him. Better sooner than later.”

Does he have the stuff to do it?

After a moment to collect himself, steady his ventilations, he makes his move. The crowd seemingly parts to let him through as he approaches the glowing mech. He tries to keep his optics off of the excessive biolights. Why so many?

“Festive affair,” he says, sidling up next to the glowing mech.

“It is,” the mech replies, looking over at Landguard with a twinkle in his optics. “What’s your name?”

Landguard turns his arm over and shows the bonding mark painted onto his forearm. “...Landguard.”

The twinkle clears up and his optics grow large. “You’re...”

Landguard nods, and allows his optics to check out the biolights trailing down into the mech’s coat. “And yours?

Turning his forearm over, the mech pushes his sleeve up and shows the bonding mark painted on his arm, breaking up the biolight stripes running down to his hand. “I’m Icefall. I’m… pleased to meet you.”

Landguard nods and looks out at the crowd to cover up the small, silly smile warming his face. Something about Icefall draws him in.

“Are you okay with this?” He holds his forearm closer, brushing his fingertips over the paint. Glancing away, Icefall takes a breath before answering.

“I am... pleased to bring our houses honor and power. This arrangement is strong.”

“But are you okay?”

“Are you asking this as my arranged bondmate or just a mech?” Icefall asks, turning to him. Landguard smiles shyly and glances down, then back at Icefall’s bright optics.

“A bit of both.”

Icefall nods and sips the drink in his hand. “Well, that won’t matter by next solar cycle. We’ll be joined.”

That’s a way to put it. Landguard looks down at the cube in Icefall’s hand. “I think I need one of those.”

Icefall gestures with his cube to a bar in the corner of the ballroom. “Over there.”

“Thanks.” Landguard glances back at Icefall as he walks over to the corner bar. His carrier meets him at the counter.

“Well?”

“I’m trying,” Landguard grumbles. “It’s not the easiest trying to attract a mech I’m supposed to bond tonight and openly claim tomorrow.”

“Just... keep trying,” his carrier says, putting a gentle hand on his arm that he gingerly shrugs off. “It was like that with your sparker, too.”

Landguard sighs and grabs an engex cube and returns to Icefall. He doesn’t seem particularly interested, but he does give Landguard his polite attention. The glimmering lights along the ceiling and the soft band music floating through the hall do little to ease his growing nerves, so he opens the cube and takes a drink to give himself more time to steady himself. The burning rush down his throat and into his tank gives him strength. The pulsating biolights along Icefall’s throat and chest draw him in, and he studies the lights he can see. 

“I have to ask, are these sensitive?” Landguard murmurs, gesturing to the biolights on Icefall’s arm.

“They all are, depending on—where—they are,” Icefall says, giving him a knowing smile over his own cube. Landguard’s ventilation hitches and his pulse picks up when he returns the gesture.

“Can I touch one?”

Icefall nods and extends his arm. “Yes. You’ll touch them eventually tonight, anyway.”

Landguard hesitates. This isn’t right. “But... may I?”

Icefall rolls his optics and vents sarcastically. “Yes, Landguard. Touch them.”

Reaching out, Landguard stacks his cube on top of Icefall’s and touches his coat sleeve with both hands, gingerly pushing it up and running his thumbs over the largest biolight in his forearm, covered partially in paint. Icefall’s optics close and he subconsciously leans into the touch. The lights are indeed sensitive. Landguard’s fingers slides up his arm, following the connecting lines to the next main light and Icefall’s mouth parts, a soft gasp escaping. The next touch slipping up his sleeve conducts electrically with his lights and makes his shoulders shudder. Landguard’s cube slips off precipice of Icefall’s and smashes onto the floor. A hush falls over the crowd. 

Were they watching this whole time?

Everyone is staring at them, at Landguard with Icefall’s glowing arm in his hands. They are both completely oblivious to the stares, optics locked on each other.

“Oh,” Icefall breathes, the glow in his biolights picking up. Landguard observes him closely, hope warming in his chest. He can feel the draw between their two sparks. There’s something there.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

Optics gazing up into Landguard’s, Icefall shifts closer.

“Do you want to... check out the bonding chambers?”

“I’d like that.”

Icefall takes his hand and leads him through the crowd towards an antechamber, not seeing the grimace Landguard stifles at the physical touch. Once they’re out of the ballroom, Icefall’s grip tightens and he leads Landguard down to a suite facing over the city lights. There is a very, very large berth inside, along with an in-ground, indoor hot tub, an adjoining washroom, and a small energon bar.

“Wow,” Landguard says. “This is it?”

“This is it,” Icefall says, stepping inside. Looking back at Landguard, for the first time that night he subconsciously wraps his coat around his frame a little tighter, and Landguard takes his hand away gingerly. 

“They told me you were... more dominant.”

“I don’t know if I’d say that,” Landguard murmurs. “I’m... big, and I like black, but... I don’t feel a pull either way. They told me...”

Icefall turns to study him, biolights brightening. “Told you what?”

“That you were... reserved. Not...” Landguard awkwardly gestures to Icefall’s coat and shirt getup. Icefall glances down and wraps his coat even tighter around himself.

“Oh no. No, no. Well, I’m not easy, if that’s what you’re asking. I like some attention, but not like this. Always.”

“Like...?”

“This is just for the gala. I cover up most of this normally.”

Landguard takes a hesitant step closer, tentatively reaching out. “May I... touch those again?”

Icefall smiles, more fondly this time, and extends his arm with the bonding mark on it to him. Taking it in his hands, Landguard lifts Icefall’s arm to look at the biolight in his palm. He rubs it gently with the flat of his thumb and then kneads into Icefall’s hand. A soft gasp leaks out of Icefall’s mouth, and with his empty hand he covers it up.

“I’m sorry,” Icefall mumbles, looking up at Landguard and then down, away.

“It’s alright,” Landguard says, lightening the pressure on Icefall’s palm. “It’s what I do on the side. I’m a...”

Icefall looks up, intrigued. “A what?”

“A masseur,” Landguard says, now his turn to mumble.

“No, really?” Icefall asks, perking up.

“I enjoy it,” Landguard admits. “It’s nice to soothe someone else.”

Icefall inches closer, loosening his coat a little. “You like it?”

“I do.”

Landguard squeezes the hand in his again, and Icefall smiles, optics fluttering as the gentle pressure travels up his arm to his sleeve. 

“Are you comfortable... taking this off?”

Icefall opens his optics and looks down at the coat, steadily opening now that he’s let go of it.

“Yeah.”

Drawing his hand away, Icefall shrugs the coat off and tosses it onto the energon bar. Landguard drinks in the sudden light given off by all of the revealed biolights, and Icefall shifts awkwardly under his gaze. Without the coat, Landguard can see the shirt runs down to Icefall’s pelvic array, wrapping around his modesty plating.

“I think we should check the hot oil bath,” Landguard murmurs, glancing towards the hot tub in the floor.

“I, uh... can’t.”

“Why not?” Landguard asks, running his hand up to Icefall’s shoulder.

“It, uh... the oil conducts with my lights. If you want me to perform tonight, I can’t get in.”

“Now, that is something I’d like to see, but I understand that for tonight’s purposes,” Landguard admits. “Want to sit?”

Icefall nods and turns for the berth, then reaches for and takes Landguard’s hand, bringing him along too. Sitting down, he looks up at Landguard who sits down next to him and looks down at his knees.

“I’m not supposed to tell you this,” Landguard murmurs, extracting his hand from Icefall’s grip. “But you should know... I don’t enjoy... physical contact.”

Icefall looks up, then gasps softly and carefully scoots away. “Oh. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have touched you—”

“...it’s okay. I didn’t really... mind, when you touched me.”

Looking his frame up and down, Icefall hesitantly moves in again. “Could I... touch you again?”

Swallowing, Landguard nods slowly. “...yes.”

Icefall turns and carefully puts his hands out. He brushes his fingertips over Landguard’s forearm, and upon not receiving a protest he slips them down to Landguard’s hand. When Landguard trembles and leans in, Icefall looks up at him. 

“Can I... kiss you?”

Landguard meets his gaze and then nods. Lifting his hands away, Icefall reaches out and touches Landguard’s helm, then leans in and kisses him softly, somewhat chastely. Perking up, Landguard presses into the kiss and his mouth parts, glossa touching Icefall’s bottom lip.

“Oh,” Icefall murmurs, and he meets Landguard in an open-mouth kiss. This time, Landguard lifts both hands and brings Icefall closer, pulling gently on his arms. After several minutes of heated kisses, Icefall pulls back.

“Spike or valve?”

“Either, prefer spike first,” Landguard murmurs. “Less... touching. Usually. You?”   


“No preference,” Icefall answers, returning his mouth to Landguard’s. 

Landguard continues the kiss until the pulse of Icefall’s biolights draw his attention again and he breaks the kiss to trail his tongue down Icefall’s neck, circling around a large light at the base of Icefall’s neck. Whining, Icefall wraps his arms around Landguard’s neck and holds him close for a few moments before he squeaks and lifts his arms. 

“Sorry, sorry. I shouldn’t have.”

Landguard reaches up, hesitates, then presses Icefall’s arm back down. “It’s alright.”

Suckling on the light, he chuckles when Icefall lowers his arms back down. Landguard shifts up, off the berth, and takes Icefall’s hips in his hands, pushing him back further on the berth. Kissing down to the hem of Icefall’s shirt, Landguard pauses. 

“Would you take this off?”

Grunting, Icefall reaches for his pelvic array and unhooks the shirt’s clasps before he draws it up and wiggles out of it. The sheer fabric looks like hardly anything in his hands, and it slips out of his hands as Landguard licks his way down to his spark seams. It’s clear the crystalline chamber is highly sensitive, but as the licks increase in duration Icefall puts his hands on Landguard’s shoulders and pushes him back lightly.

“Could we... wait...? I mean, I know it’s tonight, but...”

“Of course,” Landguard says, looking up at him. “Want me to keep going?”

“Yes, please,” Icefall murmurs, shifting underneath him. Landguard smiles and lowers his helm down again, skipping the main lights near Icefall’s chest and working his way down to his pelvic array. 

“Wait, before I open up without meaning to,” Icefall says, propping himself up on his elbows. “My... well, my everything is sensitive down there. The lights, they...”

Landguard lifts his mouth and props himself up on Icefall’s hips. “May I ask about the biolights? Why... so many?”

“I was forged with them,” Icefall says. “They’re... part of my alpha ability. I haven’t figured all the pieces of it out yet, but it’s been confirmed. The lights are involved somehow.”

“What have you discovered?” Landguard asks, and Icefall sighs.

“Not a whole lot, to be honest. The lights glow with my spark, they’re sensitive... but that’s it. I need more testing, more... work, to figure them out.”

Landguard nods, then draws his tongue around one of the prominent lights on Icefall’s pelvic array. Whimpering softly, Icefall’s panels snap open and Landguard looks down at the feast before him. Icefall’s spike is covered in stripes of biolights, and most of the biolights around his valve lead straight up to his anterior node. Landguard moans his desire into the array, leaning in. Tongue almost touching one of the stripes, he watches the spike give a mighty throb and a trickle of transfluid dribbles from the tip and pools around the base. Optics widening, Landguard glances up at Icefall and catches him with his hand over his mouth.

“What is it? Something wrong?” 

“No,” Icefall whispers, taking his hand away. “I can feel your breath. I’ve never felt... anyone that... close before.”

“Close...?”

“Close there.”

Landguard looks up at his optics for another moment before he slowly exhales over Icefall’s pulsing anterior node. He watches Icefall’s optics flutter and he starts to pant, softly. Leaning in, Landguard laps at the lubricant trickling out of Icefall’s valve and puddling on the berth. Icefall’s thighs pinch around his helm and Landguard wraps his arms around Icefall’s legs and draws him in.

Landguard sucks lightly on his valve and then on his anterior node. Groaning, Icefall shudders out an overload against Landguard’s mouth. It’s a quiet affair, and when Landguard looks up at him from between his legs he finds Icefall’s optics closed, hand fisted against his mouth. Landguard draws back, looking down at him.

“...Icefall?” he asks tentatively. “Are you okay?”

Icefall’s optics flash open and pierce into Landguard’s. “Yes, yes, I’m fine, I’m fine,” he blurts, wriggling backwards a little bit.

Landguard lifts his hands away and sits next to him. “It’s... okay if you’re not. If you want to slow down.”

“No, no, I’m okay...”

Landguard looks up at him, then lies down on his side, patiently waiting. After nearly a breem of not talking and staring up at the ceiling, Icefall speaks. 

“You have a lot more experience than I do,” he murmurs. “I can tell. And... my previous... partner... wasn’t as patient as you are.”

Landguard rumbles softly in his chest and takes in Icefall’s pensive expression. Reaching out, he touches his hand and laces their fingers together. 

“Just because I’ve interfaced before, I...” Landguard pauses and rolls onto his back, looking up at the ceiling too. “I...”

Now he falls silent. “I don’t know what to tell you. I want... to please you. This... to bring honor to our houses.”

Together they lie there, gazing up at the ceiling. 

Another breem passes. 

Then another.

“Let’s try again.”

Landguard looks over at Icefall, and their optics meet. “Again?”

“You didn’t overload, and... I want to try again. With you. Is that... okay?”

Landguard studies his optics, then nods. “Yeah.”

Icefall sits up first, then tugs lightly on Landguard’s hand. Landguard sits up and Icefall looks him over, then touches his arm.

“Can I see your spike? I uh...”

Landguard’s smile quirks and he palms his modesty plating open, revealing a plain, girthy spike. Icefall scoots closer, tentatively reaching for it, and Landguard nods briefly. “It’s okay.”

Icefall takes his spike in hand, squeezing tentatively. “Is there a way for us to both do this?”

“What? Watch you self-service me?” Landguard teases, leaning in. “Yeah, here.”

Lifting himself off the bed, Landguard settles down in Icefall’s lap. Their spikes brush and Icefall moans outright, then claps a hand over his mouth.

“It’s okay if you like it,” Landguard murmurs, reaching up to touch his hand. Icefall looks down, then back up at him.

“Well, I... thanks?” Icefall sighs. “I’m... too loud.”

“Don’t tell me your old partner made you...”

Icefall glances away. Landguard watches him, then shifts his hand up to caress his helm.

“That’s past. Tell you what—just this time, try not... holding that back. Okay?”

Icefall nods and hesitantly lowers his hand. Landguard takes it and lowers it to their spikes, then wraps his hand around it. Icefall bites his lip, then whimpers when Landguard guides their hands up and down on their spikes. He does it again, then wraps his free arm around Icefall’s back and leans in closer.

“Oh, ohh...” Icefall moans, helm brushing against Landguard’s. “Mmm...”

Pumping his hand faster, more firmly, Landguard grinds their spikes together and listens to the fledgling whimpers and moans Icefall makes. The biolights along Icefall’s spike spark on the few on Landguard’s, and he suddenly grabs Landguard’s shoulder, leaning in. 

“Landguard, I, I’m... oh, ohhh, yes, yes, please... Landguard...!” Icefall’s bright blue optics flutter shut and his mouth falls open. “I... I’m overloading...!”

His back arches sharply and transfluid bursts from his spike in thick, hot ropes. Landguard stills his hand as the overcharge prickles on his fingers, and he holds Icefall securely in his arm as the overload burns its way out of Icefall’s system. Helm falling forward, Icefall looks up at Landguard through half-lidded, pleasured optics. 

“You still didn’t...”

“Couldn’t help it,” Landguard says, arm around Icefall’s back sliding up to caress his helm again. “You’re so beautiful... can’t keep my optics off of you.”

Icefall blushes and looks down at Landguard’s proud, weeping spike, and shifts his grip from both of their spikes to only Landguard’s.

“You heard me, so I... want to hear you.”

“I don’t make much noise,” Landguard says, but leans in anyway when Icefall strokes his spike. The double overload from Icefall has built up a significant charge in Landguard’s system, and now the attention to his spike calls it to the surface. 

He nestles his helm into the crook of Icefall’s neck and his ventilations hitch when Icefall’s thumb rubs over the head of his spike. A quiet moan slips out and Icefall perks up a little, attention hooked. He strokes Landguard’s spike with more purpose now, seeking the tiny gasps and moans he makes.

Hips rolling into Icefall’s grip, Landguard groans, “ ‘M gonna overload. Please, don’t... don’t stop.”

“Definitely won’t,” Icefall reassures him.

Landguard shivers and shifts his grip on Icefall to be more of a caress than a secure hold. With a few more strokes on his spike, Landguard overloads, transfluid painting Icefall’s glowing chest and hand. He slumps against Icefall, who catches him and holds him tight.

Fans screaming, Landguard sits back and nuzzles Icefall tenderly, breath still coming in deep pants.

“I think... I think I’m ready to bond with you now,” Icefall breathes, looking up at him.

“Me... me too,” Landguard whispers, and they come together in a kiss. 

This time it’s slow, gentle, and Landguard gently urges him back into the middle of the massive berth. Icefall lies back when Landguard pushes on him, and together they fall into a pile of limbs. Landguard starts on top, then Icefall rolls over and straddles him, holding his helm and kissing for all he’s worth. Landguard touches Icefall’s seams and Icefall maps out Landguard’s. 

The tender little touches become intentional strokes, and to their mutual surprise Landguard’s seams open first to reveal a blue-green spark spinning in its casing. Icefall’s optics grow and he pushes his chest up into Landguard’s hand. 

“Please, please,” he begs. “I want this. I want you. Please, help me, I want you.”

Landguard’s thumbs spread over the crystalline casing and begin kneading in earnest. With the biolights as a guide, he rubs open Icefall’s spark chamber, freeing the ice-white spark inside. Icefall chokes and gasps, looking down at his chamber and then up at Landguard.

“Landguard, bind our sparks together. Merge us into one.”

Landguard’s blue optics gaze down into Icefall’s, and he kisses him softly, tenderly, and brings their chambers together. The first few tendrils link their sparks and Landguard gasps, merging their chambers tightly together. Icefall embraces him and Landguard lifts him from the berth in an embrace of his own. 

:Landguard:

:Icefall:

Icefall rolls them over and grinds their chambers together. His unrelenting need, the want to feel the depths of Landguard’s spark, pours through the forming bond, and Landguard presses as much of his frame against him as he can. 

:Landguard:

:Icefall:

Landguard pushes Icefall onto his back before they settle on their sides. The growing bond swells with Landguard’s cool, even touch, and Icefall drinks it in. 

:Want to make this official?: Landguard asks, gazing into Icefall’s optics. 

:I never want to be apart from you: Icefall whispers. :Never again:

Landguard reaches for his spike and takes it in hand, stroking it to full pressure again before he grabs Icefall’s leg and pulls it over his hip. Icefall moans into his mouth as Landguard nudges his spike against his valve and then cries out when it slips in without much resistance.

“Ahh! Landguard!”

Rolling his hips, Landguard allows the warm grip of Icefall’s valve to swallow him. He doesn’t want to wait this time. Wants them to fall into it together.

“Please, please, oh, yes, yes, right there...!”

Landguard sucks a kiss to Icefall’s neck, thrusting up sharply into his valve. 

“I, I can’t... are you— are you gonna—?”

“Yeah,” Landguard grunts, still thrusting. “I am.” 

Icefall clings to him, tension crackling between his spark and his biolights. The sensitivity spills into the bond and Landguard starts panting.

“Landguard, I—”

“Gonna overload—”

“Landguard!”

Icefall climaxes first, followed in moments by Landguard, and the energy released by both of their sparks formalizes the bond and creates the permanent quantum ties between them. Gasping, moaning, panting, they hold each other tight. As Icefall starts coming down, his optics grow heavy.

“Think... Think I need to recharge...”   
  
“Me too,” Landguard groans, unable to do so much as move away. Icefall’s optics drift closed, and Landguard is swift to follow him into recharge.

...

Icefall is the first to stir. He wakes to an aching in his frame deeper than he had felt in quite some time. When his optics online, he looks out into the face of... of Landguard. His arranged bondmate.

A couple notifications pop up in his HUD. One from his sparker, directions for soothing valve aches and pains, and then one from one of the other guests at the gala. It’s an audio recording.

Soft thumps. Soft thumps, and... noises? Loud noises, then loud voices.

“I, I can’t... are you— are you gonna—?”

“Yeah, I am.” 

“Landguard, I—”

“Gonna overload—”

“Landguard!”

Icefall squeals softly and then silences his vocaliser. They heard them?

Well, of course they did. Need to know the bonding was successful, right? In his arms, Landguard stirs, shifting his grip around Icefall and snuggling closer. Their chambers were still open, and their sparks were still conducting a light charge between them.

“Whensa cer’mony?” Landguard mumbles, and Icefall takes the chance to tentatively pet his helm. 

“Uhh... coming up. Soon.”

“Mmm.”

While Landguard boots his processor, he stretches and untwines their legs. He’s... still inside. Reaching down, he slowly extracts his spike and looks up at Icefall. There’s slight discomfort on his face.

“Does it hurt? Are you okay?”

“...pleasantly sore. Surprised, but sore.”

Landguard smiles and kisses him gently. “Want to take a shower?”

“I think it’s about time. Then I have to get dressed for, well...”

“The actual ceremony. Silly it’s the day after.”

“Yes, well.”

Landguard is the first to move away, carefully closing his chamber before reaching out to close Icefall’s. 

“Come on, the hot cleanser awaits. Or, well, however you like it.”

Icefall smiles and pulls himself off the berth, leading Landguard into the washroom.

...

Once they’re showered and cleaned, Icefall gathers his clothes and wraps his coat around himself, heading for the hall. “Will your sparkers...?”

“Yes, they’ll prepare me,” Landguard says, watching Icefall go. “Will you wear...?”

“Yes, I’ll wear my armor,” Icefall laughs, leaning on the door. “You’ll like it. I think.”

“I think if it’s yours, I’ll like it,” Landguard says, approaching him. Icefall smiles and looks down, then back at Landguard.

They share a quiet kiss and then Icefall opens the door. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Mm.”

Icefall tears himself away, looking back at him before he walks down the hall to his room. Halfway there, his spark gives a terrible wrench and he stumbles into the wall, catching himself before he can fall.

“Icefall? Icefall, are you okay?”

One of the house servants emerges from a berthroom nearby and rushes to his side.

“I, my spark, it... Landguard. Where’s Landguard?”

Looking around wildly, Icefall scrabbles at his spark crystal, pressing back against the wall.

:Icefall? What’s wrong?:

:Where are you? Where are you? Whereareyou? Whereareyouwhereareyouwherewherewhere—:

He blacks out. 

...

When he wakes, there’s a medic to his left and Landguard to his right. His sparkers crouch behind the medic, watching closely. Retching softly, Icefall sits up sharply and throws himself at Landguard, who catches him and enfolds him in his arms. 

“It’s okay, I’m here, I’m here with you. Icefall, look at me, look at me.”

Icefall turns his optics up at Landguard, panic written into his face.

“What’s wrong? Do you feel okay?”

“Thank Primus you’re here,” Icefall chokes out, huddling closer. “I thought I was going to gutter, I couldn’t... couldn’t stand it...”

Tears well up in his optics and Landguard thumbs them away before they can spill. 

“Now now, don’t cry,” Landguard reassures him, kissing his forehead and wrapping his arm around him. “It’s our bonding day, it’s okay. Come on, stand up, are you okay?”

With his help, Icefall stands up and presses against his side. Landguard holds him close, then looks at the medic and Icefall’s sparkers.

“Well, uh... good morning?” he offers. “What happened?”

“We were going to ask you the same thing,” one of them asks. “What happened this morning?”

“We woke up, showered, and he went to get dressed. And then— this?”

The medic stands and pulls a scanner up on his forearm, running it over Icefall, then Landguard.

“The bond—there is a bond—is stable. I don’t know what caused this episode.”

“Call your supervisor. Explain what happened. I want answers, now. I’ve never seen a bond do this,” Icefall’s sparker insists. “We’ll postpone today. Give the bond a chance to... to stabilize.”

“That might help,” the medic says. “Let’s give it a cycle. I’ll call my mentor, maybe he’ll have some ideas about what this was. The only thing I can suggest to you to do right now is to bond often and see if that makes it better. It could be a spark condition, but I doubt it. I’ll call when I know more.”

Landguard nods and strokes Icefall’s helm. “Okay. Is that okay to you?”

Icefall nods, but he is withdrawn.

“Alright. Why don’t you show me your rooms?” :We can try out the berth:

Icefall brightens a little at this and slowly turns, guiding Landguard down the hall. They reach the end and have to venture down another hallway before they make it to Icefall’s rooms. They are a series of chambers all connected, with a berth and wardrobe in one, washroom, oil tub, and shower in another, and then three others for recreation; a small library, with shelves along every wall, then a sunny room with some cyberflora, and finally a chamber filled with various workout equipment, mats, and boxes of supplies. 

“Wow,” Landguard says, peeking around at the cyberflora specimens. “You like taking care of them.”

“It’s fun,” Icefall whispers. “Please, bond with me, it hurts. I need, I need...”

Landguard returns from the cyberflora chamber and goes to Icefall, embracing him and kissing his cheek. “Okay. Okay. Come here, sit on my lap. It’s okay.”

He sits on the edge of the very plush berth and draws Icefall in, opening his coat and petting his spark seams. They’re swollen to some extent and open with a squeak at his touch.

“Must be the alignment that did it,” Landguard murmurs to himself, opening his chamber. Icefall urges their chambers together, meshing sparks as soon as Landguard is exposed.

Rocking back and forth, Landguard runs his hands up Icefall’s back and sighs.

...

“Do you have a nickname?” Icefall asks after they had been merged for an orn. Landguard trails his fingers along the biolights he can feel on Icefall’s back.

“Mm... no, not really. I’ve always been Landguard. Do you have a name in mind?”

Icefall lays his helm on Landguard’s shoulder, thinking.

“...Guard. How about— Guard?”

Landguard kisses Icefall’s helm again. “I think it’s perfect.”

“Guard, my... my Guard.”

Embracing Icefall tighter, Landguard’s spark swells with pride and happiness. “Yes. Yes.”

Another breem sees them sleeping soundly on Icefall’s berth, wrapped up in each other again. Landguard is the first to wake, and he opens Icefall’s coat a little further so he can trace the biolights on his chest, his arm, his neck. Icefall wakes soon after from the gentle touches, opening his optics and looking into Landguard’s.

“Guard?” he whispers. 

“Yeah?”

“You hungry?”

“...yeah.”

“I’ve got some cubes in here. Want some?”

“Definitely.”

Icefall extracts himself and sits up, chamber closing on its own as he gets off the berth and rummages around in a cupboard for some cubes. He returns with three, spreading them on the berth. Landguard sits up and opens one and Icefall follows suit. They sit side by side, drinking their cubes, and once they’re finished Icefall opens the other cube and takes a drink, then passes it to Landguard, who drinks from it too.

“Think they’ll find something wrong?”

“...no.”

...

Another orn goes by and the first medic returns with another mech in tow. His mentor.

“So, Landguard. This happened... when?”

“After we showered, then Icefall went to get dressed, and... it happened. We were bonded all night.”

“I see. And you left, and...?”

“I was halfway here, and... panicked? Then passed out,” Icefall says, shifting his legs. 

The older medic nods, then scans their frames again. “The bond’s stable. Landguard, would you go down the hall? Just there, down to the exercise room. Make sure you can see Icefall from there.”

Landguard rubs Icefall’s knee, then stands up and walks down the hall. At the end, he turns around and peeks at Icefall, positioning himself in the doorway and watching Icefall from there. The medic starts a timer.

“How do you feel, Icefall?”

“Fine? I’m fine, why?”

Icefall looks from Landguard to the medics. “I’m okay.”

“And you, Landguard?”

He lifts a hand in reassurance. “Fine.”

The medic beckons to him. “Good. Now, go outside and walk to the end of the hall. Here’s my comm frequency, come back when I ping you.”

Landguard receives a short data burst with the characters for the medic’s comm frequency, then returns to Icefall, kissing his forehead. “Be right back.”

Icefall leans into the touch and then watches him go, walk out into the hall and shut the door. When the door shuts, the medic starts a timer. 

“How are you feeling, Icefall?"

“I’m... okay,” Icefall says, optics locked on the door. “Why does he have to go? Can’t this be done with him... present?”

“It’s just for a little while,” the medic assures him. “Just be patient.”

Icefall’s optics stay glued on the door. Finally, at a little over a breem, he stands up, wrapping himself up in his coat.

“Bring him back. Bring— Bring Guard. Back. Guard. Guard, I... I need Landguard.”

The medic scans his spark and then comms. “Landguard, return now. Swiftly.”

It takes only a few kliks for Landguard to return, and he bursts into the room and sweeps Icefall into his arms.

“I’m here. I’m here. It’s okay, I’m here...”

Icefall clings to him, slumping in relief. “Guard...”

The older medic sighs, then stands. “I know what it is.”

Icefall turns around, and Landguard wraps his arms around him. “What is it?”

“You have separation anxiety,” the medic says, putting a gentle hand on Icefall’s arm. “Spark separation, to be correct.”

Landguard sets his chin on Icefall’s shoulder. “Spark separation... anxiety?”

“Yes, I know it’s not common, but some bonds are so strong that separating them by either distance or visibility causes an anxious response. I timed it; Icefall can withstand about a breem of separation before the anxiety sets in.”

Icefall shrinks in on himself. “Oh.”

“Well... thank you for seeing us,” Landguard says. 

“Of course, I’m glad to help you figure this out sooner than later,” the older medic says. “We’ll give you some space.”

They depart Icefall’s room and leave them alone.

“Spark separation anxiety?” Icefall echoes. “I... I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything. Just come lay down.”

Landguard coaxes him down onto the berth, pressing up against Icefall’s back. “It’s going to be okay. We just... won’t be apart. Who else has an excuse for that, especially from their doctor?”

“But, you... are you okay with this?” Icefall asks, glancing back at him. “It’s like we’ll be touching, all the time. Are you... okay?”

“I... don’t seem to mind it, when it’s you,” Landguard murmurs, kissing his neck. “I’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.”

Icefall presses back against his chest and stares at the wall. Spark separation...

...

The next solar cycle, they ready themselves together, take the Rites together, and then walk through the cathedral together. 

:I am sorry though, that you have to deal with this: Icefall says under his breath at supper following the ceremony.

:I tried not to let on, but I am affected. To some extent: Landguard murmurs. :Probably because you are. It’s okay:

Icefall glances over at him, then scoots his chair slightly closer. :Well... at least we’re in it together...?:

:Absolutely:


End file.
